Imaging on a sphere with interferometers: The spherical wave harmonic transform

• I present an exact and explicit solution to the scalar (Stokes flux intensity) radio interferometer imaging equation on a spherical surface which is valid also for non-coplanar interferometer configurations. This imaging equation is comparable to ω-term imaging algorithms, but by using a spherical rather than a Cartesian formulation this term has no special significance. The solution presented also allows direct identification of the scalar (spin 0 weighted) spherical harmonics on the sky. The method should be of interest for future multispacecraft interferometers, wide-field imaging with non-coplanar arrays, and cosmic microwave background spherical harmonic measurements using interferometers.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Astronomi, astrofysik och kosmologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Techniques: radar astronomy

Techniques: interferometric

Telescopes

Instrumentation: interferometers

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)